UnAbel
by lotusblossum89
Summary: Cain felt lost, he felt confused. He felt——he felt further apart from his brother than he ever had before. Because God loved Abel more than him. Cain felt ill.
1. Scene one, a beginning

Two year old Cain stood, alone and frowning, his hands clenched around a large wooden bowl. A few minutes before, his father had frantically ordered him to get some water, but had apparently forgotten since then. Cain had stumbled as quickly as his legs could carry him to fetch it. He ran away from the field where his father stood, panicked; away from his mother's pained cries; away from the obvious fear in both their eyes. His father always knew what was going on; he could speak to God. But now there was something wrong, and even Cain could tell. Was God angry with his mother? She was very nice; why would God be angry with her?

A whimper had passed unchecked through his lips, and he had knelt down to pick up the curve of wood that his mother always used to carry water and food. It was too long for his arms to hold, so he took one end and dragged it off to the river.

With a single-mindedness that only children can possess, he forgot about his parents and the events of the clearing, and concentrated on his task as though it was the one thing his body was made for. As though he could and _would _do this one thing, even if he could do no more.

Cain tripped at the bank of the river, and banged his knee on the ground, his hands splashing into the water. He frowned down at his knee; it hurt real bad. But he couldn't stop! His mother needed his help! He pushed the end of the curved wood into the water, as though launching a toy boat. But this boat sunk at the end, filling up with liquid. Cain pulled on it, trying to get it back on land. He slipped twice on the mud, and almost let go of the wood completely. But, finally, he managed to get it out. He dragged it back to the clearing, as water slowly trickled out from the lowered end of its container.

His breath rasping, Cain tottered toward his parents. He had hoped that God would help his mother by the time he came back, but she didn't look any better. She still had a really, really big belly, and now she was squatting on the ground. Maybe her belly was so big that she couldn't even stand up. Cain's lower lip slipped into a pout. He turned to look at the water, but there was hardly any left. His right arm was still holding on to the wood, which was trailing behind him like a forgotten child.

His father hadn't realized that he had come back. He was kneeling beside his wife and smoothing the hair from her forehead. He was murmuring something too soft for Cain to catch. His mother had her right arm around his father's neck, and her left hand was rubbing against her belly.

Every now and then, Eve's face would contort in pain, but Adam would hush her and place his hand over her cheek gently. Cain could tell his mother was in pain, but didn't know what to do. One more forlorn glance back behind him confirmed that, yes, the water was still gone. His bottom lip quivered. He'd failed. There was nothing else he could do.

So he curled up next to the wooden bowl, slipped his thumb into his mouth, and went to sleep.

He was woken just as the sun was rising. Or was it setting? His father was kneeling beside him and smiling.

"Cain? Cain, wake up. You have a brother."

Cain frowned. "Bro—ver?" He intoned.

"Yes. Would you like to see? We've named him Abel."

With wide eyes, Cain watched his mother approach. She was holding something close to her; bundled in her arms. Her eyes were alight with happiness, even though she looked weary.

Cain gasped, smiling. He knew what that was!

"Cat!" He exclaimed.

Eve laughed as she knelt by her husband. "No, Cain. Not a cat."

"Cat!" Cain insisted.

Eve leaned toward him and showed him the baby. He frowned. "Not cat," he said.

She laughed softly. "Not cat," she agreed. "He's a boy. A boy like you." Eve reached out and touched Cain's nose as she said that.

Cain reached up and touched his own nose, crossing his eyes to look at it. "Boy?" He looked back down at the baby nestled in his mother's arms. Gently, he reached one finger and tapped Abel on the nose, too. "Boy!"


	2. Scene two, the savior

A seven-year-old Cain was lead along side his mother down the river. He held her right hand in his left, swinging his other arm high over his head. Cain had wanted to go with his mother to see the place where food comes from. Abel, five, was still asleep.

"See, Cain?" Eve asked, pointing ahead of them with the wooden bowl. "We follow the river just a little farther down, and there are all sorts of plants that bear fruit for us to eat."

Cain's eyes grew large. "Just like that? Just from plants?"

Eve nodded.

"But grass tastes bad," Cain protested.

Eve laughed. "Well grass isn't meant to eat, Cain. These plants were specially chosen by God to bear fruit that we can eat." With a smile, she added, "Fruit that doesn't taste bad."

Before long, they had reached a grove of trees and plants of all sorts. There were the fruit trees and vines, but there were also other plants that Cain couldn't name. They grew in the ground, or on it, as opposed to on a tree. Eve saw the direction of her son's gaze, and she said, "Those are vegetables, like carrots and potatoes.

The vegetables were further from them, behind the fruit trees, and closer to the river. "Oh! Can I go?" Cain asked, almost jumping up and down. "Please, please, please?"

Eve looked as though she were considering it. "Well… alright. Go ahead."

He tore off ahead, his mother's hand dropping from his own. It was the fruit trees that caught his attention first. Tall, swaying, and colorful, they looked a lot more fun than some funny-shaped weeds poking out from the ground, even if they _were_ attached to food.

But soon, even climbing trees became boring, and he wandered back over to his mother, who was gathering vegetables. He looked at the small bean-sprouts and asked her,

"Why are some of the plants brown?"

Eve glanced at the plants in question. "Well, Cain, they've died"

"Why?"

She shrugged, half-frowning. "Because that's what God wants."

Cain didn't like the idea of God wanting anything to be dead.

Then he saw one small group of bean plants. They were only as long as his finger, and they had small leaves. The leaves were curling up on themselves, and they were going brown around the edges. He felt sad when he realized that the plants must be dying.

_Maybe I can save just one_, he thought. _Maybe they don't have to die._

But why were they dying? He couldn't fix them if he didn't know what was wrong. He sat down and looked at them. They were pretty droopy. Maybe he could find some way to keep them standing up? They were also brown. Maybe he should get some sort of green color to put on them. What was it that made plants green? Could he use that?

Then Cain noticed that the plants were dry. He looked at the river. The bean plants over there were much greener than those in his tiny group. He had it! His plants must be thirsty! So he ran over to the river and scooped some water into his cupped hands. He dumped it over all his little plants.

Then he waited.

Five minutes later, they were no greener than before. He became bored and went to find Abel.

But the next day when he went back, Cain noticed that his plants were greener than the ones around them. It was working! He went back to the river, and put more water on the small sprouts every day.

"It's okay now," he whispered to the now-budding plants, after checking that no one was in hearing range. "I've saved you! You don't have to die."


	3. Scene three, a promise

Cain was sitting with his family around a fire. His mother was retelling the story of the Snake and the Garden of Eden.

"Was it really that beautiful?" Asked Abel, his eyes wide with wonder.

"More beautiful than you could even imagine," reminisced Eve. "It seemed that every day, the Garden grew more beautiful than the last. Every day, there was something new to see, to taste, to smell."

"It was paradise," sighed Adam.

"And then what?" Cain asked, though he knew the story so well he could tell it himself.

His parents shared a knowing glace; a look full of pain and regret so deep that Cain could scarcely fathom it.

"And then," said Eve softly. "I weakened."

Adam smiled and put his arm around his wife gently. "Don't blame yourself; not still. Not after so long."

She smiled weakly back. Turning to her children, she continued. "Then one day, I met the Snake. He made me curious about the tree; he made me wonder and want for the fruit. He told me that it would bring me knowledge, and that God was keeping it from me. All lies, of course. But I believed them. I believed him." Her last words were soft.

"She brought the fruit to me," Adam continued. "And I took of it and sinned with her. For our sins, God cast us from the Garden. We were unclean, and we had to work for our lives from that time on."

"What happened to the Snake?"

"He was cursed." Answered Adam. "God cursed him to crawl the earth on his belly, in the dirt and dust." Adam shook his head. "To be shunned in the eyes of God, my sons, is the worst punishment that could befall beast or man."

The two boys glanced at each other, both clearly a little frightened.

"What would we do that would make God shun us?" Abel questioned in a small voice.

Adam laughed and lay his hand on Abel's shoulder. "Don't worry about that. You're both far too young and too innocent to have ideas like that marring your thoughts. Go ahead and get some rest. It should rain tomorrow."

Both children still visibly worried, they all went off to bed.

Cain lay down, his mind not at rest. For a long time, he heard his brother's even breathing beside him before he finally slipped into an uneasy sleep.

Cain was running. He was running faster than he had ever run in his life. His hair was flying in his eyes, and he stumbled over small rocks as he fled the lion that was chasing him. It seemed to be toying with him; roaring and pouncing so close that Cain could feel its moist breath on the backs of his legs. Then it would slow down, giving him a head star before pouncing again.

Cain cried out for help. From God, from his father, his mother, anyone! He ran to the fields where his father was during the day. To his relief, his father was standing there, leaning against his staff. Cain sobbed in terror and put on an extra burst of speed.

"Father! Father! I need help!"

Adam turned, almost carelessly. "Oh. Cain." He glanced down at the boy, who had fallen at his feet. "I'm sorry, I actually can't help you."

The lion finally attacked. Cain could see it at his legs. He cried harder and reached out for his father's feet, but Adam moved out of reach.

"I'm not even supposed to be talking to you." Adam confessed. "You lied to me yesterday; you said you were working when really you were taking a nap." He shrugged. "God shunned you. He will never speak to you, now."

Cain woke up with a start. He was panting, and whipping his head around, looking for the lion. When he realized it had all been a dream, his breathing slowed, though his heart didn't.

"Hm? Whas wrong?" Abel slurred, sleepily.

"Nothing," Cain whispered. "Just a nightmare; go back to sleep."

"What's that, mother?" A 9-year-old Cain asked Eve. She was preparing supper, and was holding a plant he hadn't seen before.

"Your father found it in a damp cave. A sheep wandered in there, and he brought some out."

"They're called mushrooms!" Cried out Abel.

"How did you know that?" Cain asked.

"God told me!"

Cain gasped, and a small stab of fear hit his stomach. His dream came back vividly: _God shunned you. He will never speak to you now_. "He didn't," Cain whispered.

"Yes he did!" Demanded Abel.

"Abel!" Exclaimed Eve. "How many times have I told you not to lie. God doesn't like little boys who lie."

"But he _did_ tell me!"

Eve picked Abel up and held him perched on her hip. She looked at him with her deep brown eyes, and said, "Now look me in the eye, Abel. Look at me and tell me the truth. Did God tell you what those mushrooms were called?"

Abel squirmed a bit, then sighed. "No, Ma'am."

Eve nodded, satisfied, and put him down. "Now apologize to your—where did Cain go?"

Cain was tearing through the field, wanting to get away from his mother before she noticed how frightened he had been. Brave boys didn't have nightmares. His father had told I'm not to worry about it, but he couldn't help it. He had really thought that God was talking to Abel, and not to him. His steps finally carried him to the oak tree.

The oak tree had been there since before he was born, but he had only grown tall enough to climb it last month. Since then, he had been going there whenever he could. Abel was still too short to reach the bottom limb. Cain sniffed and rubbed at one eye. He could still feel the flutter of leftover nervousness in his stomach. He pulled his knees to his chest as much as he could and still keep his balance.

"Cain?" The soft voice floated up from the ground beneath the tree. It was Abel. "Cain, why did you run off?"

Cain watched his knees as he admitted in a mumble, "I was scared."

"Scared? What was there to be scared of?"

Cain's voice was no higher than a whisper. "I was scared that—"

"Cain," Abel interrupted him, "I can't here you; come down?"

Cain sighed and he dropped down from the tree. He was standing less than an arm's length from Abel. "I said I was afraid that God had talked to you and not to me. I thought God had shunned me."

Abel's mouth formed a small _o_. "Oh. I'm really sorry, Cain. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know," Cain whispered.

"I—" Abel broke off for a moment. "I don't want you to be mad at me."

"I'm not—I'm not. But, Abel?"

"Yes?"

"Will you promise me something? Promise me that if God _does_ ever talk to you, you'll tell me?"

"I promise. And I don't ever want you mad at me. Will you promise never to be mad at me? No matter what?"

"I promise."

They stood for a second before Abel suddenly launched at his taller brother and wrapped his arms around him. Cain stood still for a moment, awkward, before putting his arms around Abel's shoulders.

"I promise," he repeated to himself, quietly.

They were still for a long time, taking comfort from the other, before Abel suddenly pushed Cain down. Cain yelped and thumped to the ground. Abel ran away laughing as Cain clambered to his feet and gave chase.


End file.
